Suspected terrorists on Sunday night raided a Kaduna State community after over-powering a joint-military base.
At the base in Nahuta, Batsari Local Government Area, the AK-47-wielding terrorists destroyed vehicles and made away with some.
They also burgled homes and shops before escaping with domestic animals after panic-stricken residents fled.
The attack, according to a military source, took place at about 11.30 pm on Sunday.
The source spoke with The Nation after reports emerged yesterday that a gang that kidnapped and freed, a senior official of the National Population Commission (NPC), Mansoor Al-Kadriyar, has given him till tomorrow to pay N70 million ransom for the release of five of his daughters still in their custody or have one them killed.
The kidnappers had killed one of the six ladies abducted with their father.
Our source, who confirmed that no life was lost during the attack on the military base and village, said the troops were overpowered by the terrorists because no reinforcement came after frantic efforts.
He said “The bandits outweighed us and invaded the camp where they set ablaze our vehicles and property because there was no reinforcement throughout the encounter.
“The hoodlums also invaded the village (Nahuta), burgled some shops, broke into houses, carted away properties and also left with domestic animals worth millions of naira.”
When reporters visited Nahuta on Monday, it looked deserted as most of the villagers had fled to seek refuge elsewhere.
Another military personnel, who spoke with The Nation, said that ”military operations are going on in the area.”
DSS takes over NPC over abduction of official’s children
Meanwhile, the Department of State Services (DSS) has taken over the security architecture of the NPC following the kidnap of the senior official of the agency, Al-Kadriyar, and his daughters.
Our correspondent, who visited the commission saw some DSS officers positioned before the entrance of the reception.
Some personnel of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were also seen at the main gate.
Al-Kadriyar and his six daughters were kidnapped on January 2 in their residence at Zuma1, along Veritas University, in the Bwari axis of the FCT.
The NPC official was released 48 hours after to enable him to raise the N70 million he allegedly agreed to pay the abductors.
A family source who pleaded anonymity said: “ On Friday, January 12, they(abductors) called around 7pm asking about the ransom and instructed us to get ready to deliver the money. Thereafter, they called at about 10 pm to inform us that they killed one of the daughters and described to us the location to pick up the corpse.
“The following day, Saturday, January 13, we went to the location and picked the corpse and buried her according to Islamic rites. Later in the night, they called and we pleaded to pay the N70 million on January 16. Till this moment, we have not received any message from them.”
A top source in the NPC said the bandits vowed to kill another of the ladies if the N70 million was not paid tomorrow as promised by the family.
The official said: “The situation in the past days now has been tense. It will be too painful if the bandits kill two of our staff’s children.
“The bandits have said they another child if the remaining N70 million is not given to them by Wednesday. We have contributed and still contributing. We hope they will release them unhurt.”
A former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Ali Pantami and a relation of the kidnapped ladies was said to have raised N50 million for the rescue efforts.
Social media users who deemed the support as inappropriate argued that kidnappers might soon be registered and taxed by the government.
A satirist, Elnathan John, said: “Nigeria is a scary scary place. This is a former government minister, facilitating the raising of funds to pay a ransom to kidnappers.”
“At this point, Nigeria might as well allow kidnappers to unionise and register themselves as businesses so they can pay taxes.”
Kidnappers of Abuja-10 kill three, raise ransom to N700m
Fear has continued to grip Abuja residents as the gang which abducted 10 persons from an estate, Sagwari Layout, Dutse, Abuja, on January 7 killed three of their victims.
Sources said they increased their ransom demand from N60 million per person to N100 million, totalling N700 million for the remaining seven captives.
They said the three, including a 13-year-old high school student, identified as simply as Michelle, were allegedly killed following ‘delay’ in raising the ransom earlier demanded.
How my 13-year-old daughter was killed, by lawyer
Oladosu Ariyo, father of the Late Michelle, said he was able to raise N 7 million through his friends and family members which the abductors vehemently refused before cutting his daughter’s life short.
Ariyo, a legal practitioner, said he is devastated because Michelle was his first child.
He appealed to the Nigerian Bar Association(NBA) to intervene and save his wife and three other children still being held by the abductors.
Ariyo, in a statement, said: “Dear Learned Silks, Seniors and Colleagues,
”Most respectfully, I’m Oladosu Folorunso Ariyo, a lawyer working in Abuja.
”They kidnapped my wife (who is also a lawyer) and our four children. The kidnappers called and demanded N60 million ransom out of which through generous donations from friends and family, I’ve been able to raise the sum of N7 million which they have vehemently refused to collect.
”As of today(yesterday), they’ve killed my first born- Michelle Ariyo ( aged 13) and dumped her corpse on Kaduna road while threatening to kill my three remaining children (who are all minors) and wife who are still in captivity.
”Please and please, sirs, I urgently need the intervention of NBA”.
However, residents of Sagwari Layout are said to have perfected plans to protest today, the perceived inaction of the government and security agencies in rescuing their colleagues.
FCT Police Command Public Relations Officer, Josephine Adeh, told The Nation that the police were on top of the situation.
” I can’t speak on this for security reasons but we are on top of the situation,”. Adeh said.
